ICD-11

Developmental speech or language disorders arise during the developmental period and are characterised by difficulties in understanding or producing speech and language or in using language in context for the purposes of communication that are outside the limits of normal variation expected for age and level of intellectual functioning. The observed speech and language problems are not attributable to regional, social, or cultural/ethnic language variations and are not fully explained by anatomical or neurological abnormalities. The presumptive aetiology for Developmental speech or language disorders is complex, and in many individual cases, is unknown.

Developmental language disorder with impairment of receptive and expressive language is characterised by persistent difficulties in the acquisition, understanding, production, and use of language that arise during the developmental period, typically during early childhood, and cause significant limitations in the individual’s ability to communicate. The ability to understand spoken or signed language (i.e., receptive language) is markedly below the expected level given the individual’s age and level of intellectual functioning, and is accompanied by persistent impairment in the ability to produce and use spoken or signed language (i.e., expressive language).